NTMP - Signs Don't Always Work
Stop signs seem like an obvious and simple solution to control vehicle speeds. However, when stop signs are used to control speed, there is a high incidence of drivers intentionally violating the stop. When vehicles do stop, it is effective only in the immediate area of the stop sign, since a large number of motorists then increase their speed to make up for lost time. This results in increased speeds between stop signs in the neighborhood.
Stop signs can also create a false sense of security for pedestrians. When pedestrians approach an intersection controlled by a stop sign, pedestrians assume drivers will stop at the sign to allow a safe crossing. However, when stop signs are located to control speeds rather than to establish right-of-way priority through the intersection, drivers may not respect the sign. Drivers may endanger pedestrians by either running the sign or doing a "rolling stop".
For these reasons, the City does not use stop signs as a way to control speed through a neighborhood. Instead, they are used to improve safety at intersections where there is an accident problem, where visibility is limited due to buildings or topography, or where volumes are high enough that the normal right-of-way rule is unsafe.
Children at Play Signs
Some parents believe that the safety of their children playing in or near the street can be made safer if a "Slow, Children at Play" sign is installed in the neighborhood.
What we've learned through traffic studies is that "Slow, Children at Play" signs can actually increase the potential for an accident. The sign does not increase a driver's attention enough to reduce the potential for a pedestrian accident. Therefore, placing the sign in the neighborhood can increase the chance of an accident because the sign gives both parents and children a sense of protection, which doesn't exist and cannot be guaranteed.
For these reasons, the City of Olympia does not install this type of sign and instead, we encourage parents and/or guardians to find alternative play areas for children, such as a backyard or a local park.